


Rivals

by RdmFavCpls



Series: Countdown to Birthday 2017 [8]
Category: DIgimon Story Cyber Sleuth - Fandom, Digimon, digimon Story - Fandom
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-09
Updated: 2017-07-09
Packaged: 2018-11-29 17:44:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11445855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RdmFavCpls/pseuds/RdmFavCpls





	Rivals

July 8th (My birthday!)

Prompt: Rivals

Summary: AU where Arata and Ami are best friends from school. Arata has fun messing around with a user called ‘Crouching_Tiger’

Note: Since this is a AU, the timeline isn’t the same as it is in the game. The events are out of order but at the time this takes event, I have it to where Ami has met Suedo before. This one is also going to be long, my present to all of you!

~~Story Begins~~

Arata was furiously typing away late at night, he got cocky (and desperate) and thought he could hack into ‘Crouching_Tiger’ account at him. Now he’s trying to furiously keep his location a secret. ‘Crouching_Tiger almost had his location, but Arata hid it and smirked. 

He still has his hacking skills that made the leader of the Judes before they got disbanded. His Digi-line avatar sat down within the Digi-Line forum that also had a tiger avatar curled up. Arata typed up a message, “You almost got me, let my defenses down on you.”

The tiger flapped its tail lazily and opened one of its eyes revealing a bright blue eye that looked tired, then again it was 2:00 in the morning. 

“Can you please quit trying to hack into my account? What did I ever do to deserve your anger?”

“Hey, you happen to be the second thing I can’t hack into, plus I’m enjoying it?” He doesn’t know why he all of a sudden started questioning it. He hasn’t had a rival like this, he’s a hacker and whoever this person is a cyber sleuth. How could he not have fun?

He looked over at his friend list and frowned, his best friend still hasn’t signed into her Digi-line account for a couple of weeks now. He know she’s okay, he’s seen her here and there, but she’s always busy with her new job as a detective assistant. She’s hardly in school anymore, but something’s changed within her. She has always made time for him, at least in his mind she did.

“You did say you was a cyber sleuth, right?”

The tiger nodded its head, “Yeah why?”

“Think you can check-up on someone for me? To make sure she’s okay?”

The tiger uncurled itself and stretched against the digital floor, “Aren’t you my self-proclaimed rival? Why are you asking for my help?”

Arata’s avatar jumped to his feet, his little hat felling over his eyes, “What’s wrong with being rivals and friends?”

“Calm down tiger, I was just asking. When did we become friends all of sudden?”

“The fact that you are currently talking to me in this forum and not mad about me attempting to hack into your account,” Arata typed up as his avatar sat back down.

“Listen, think about the case you want me to take. If you want me to take it, you have to file a case for it at the office. Get some sleep and please quit hacking my account.”

The tiger disappeared and Arata signed off with a sigh. He’s used to staying up and talking to Aiba throughout all hours of the night. She was his best friend and had a major crush on her, like most boys at their school. She hasn’t been on in weeks and it makes him worry.

The next morning, Arata was walking towards school and saw Ami at their usual meeting place before they headed to school together. She looked tired and didn’t look so good. He ran to her as she waved at him, a smile her face.

That usually calms his worries, his fears, but with her looking so worn down like she is now, it only made him worry more. He’s never seen her like this before.

“Long time no see,” Ami greeted once Arata was next to her and they started walking towards school together. “How have you been?”

“Been bored at school, been busy afterwards. You haven’t been at school in a while but everyone is talking about Jimiken. I’m surprised to see you at school.” He looked at her, “You don’t look too good.”

Ami glared at him, “Thanks, remind me to not wait for you again.”

Arata shook his head, “I’m being honest. It looks like you could use a couple of z’s.”

Ami smiled as their school got within viewing distance, “If that’s your way of showing me concern, than thank you. My job has been keeping me busy but we ran out of leads now just waiting for the target to make their move again.”

“What do you do again?” Arata asked.

“I’m an assistant to a detective,” Ami responded. “I love it, expect…”

“Except?”

“I think I have no tastebuds left,” Ami whined.

“You have no tastebuds?” Arata questioned confused.

“I drank two cups of dragon fruit, tofu, and carrot coffee,” Ami explained. “Either I have no tastebuds left or this headache that I have is dulling my other senses.”

“Dragon Fruit, tofu, carrot coffee? Why would you want to drink that voluntarily?”

“My boss only makes coffee with weird combinations and it's the only thing in the office to drink,” Ami explained.

“At first, I wanted to meet your boss, but now I don’t,” Arata said. The warning bell signalling school is about to started to ring,”C’mon, we’re going to be late!”

School came and went, Arata had planned on asking Ami as to why she hasn’t logged in for a while, but when it was time for lunch, Ami was gone. Arata once again, grumbled about the bad luck he had this year with Ami and him not being in the same homeroom. Apparently, her work called her in thus making her leave school early.

Arata went home and changed clothing before making his way towards Broadway Nakano. He heard about a bookstore there that had a better selection of used books and a coffee cafe that was delicious. Maybe he could help bring back Ami’s tastebuds.

He stopped at Shibuya to check out their bookstore and on his way back to the subway, there was a group surrounding the entrance. When he got closer to the subway entrance, he saw blue, purple, and white squares covering the entrance. He wanted to check it out but a shrill whistle sounded before an all too familiar voice from his past started yelling, “Don’t anybody else get the bright idea of entering the subway. As soon as I see that lady, she’s being arrested for destroying public property!”

Arata looked over and saw Date coming towards the group, “If you can’t beat them, than join them.”

He ran into the entrance ignoring Date’s yell of him to stop. He looked around in pure disbelief, “Is this reality or is this cyber space?” He looked at his Infermon who appeared next to him. “So, what do you think buddy? Is there a snake or a demon back in this weird space of reality?”

They started their adventure through Shibuya Station.

“You may sound like you have everything figured out,” Arata heard further into the station and recognized the voice, “All you see is the end result, the perfect plan and ideal. You don’t factor in the unknown, do you?”

“I investigate the unknown, dear, the world I wish to create will take away the feelings you are currently feeling,” a voice Arata didn’t recognize spoke back.

“The feelings, I’m currently feeling?” Ami asked back. “How do you know what I’m feeling?”

“I know more about you than what you think,” the unfamiliar voice said back gently. “When was the last time you truly saw and had a conversation with your mother? Does she believe you are perfectly fine or -”

“Shut up!” Ami snapped. “You leave my mother and everyone who I am close to out of this!”

“Temper, temper,” the voice said. “Tell me sir, is she always like that?”

Arata stepped out from around the corner, “No, not really. Only when her mother is involved or when one of her friends does something stupid and dangerous.”

“Arata! What are you doing here?” Ami asked.

“Got curious,” Arata said with a shrug. “No turning back now either.”

Ami’s eyes narrowed, “I’ll deal with you later.” She turned her attention back to the man. “Let me guess, you want me - us - to defeat the Eater here?”

“We’ve been through this before Ami, this is what, our third time meeting?” the man said. “Your young friend is confused.”

“Yeah, it’s a rare sight I don’t get to see very often,” Ami responded. “It’s even rarer for me to explain things to him.” She grabbed Arata’s wrist and started pulling Arata away. 

“Now, that’s very rude, I haven’t even introduced myself to him,” the man spoke.”I can always fix that for you, if you like. Yes, I can make quite a few adjustments to you if you -”

A growl could be heard and Arata stared as a WereGarurumon stood in front of the man, “I don’t think we need to reintroduce you to my friends, do I, Suedo? If you can fix my attitude, then I suggest you get your memory fixed first.”

Arata let Ami drag him around the corner and down the stairs, the WereGarurumon following as his own Infermon appeared plus a BlackGatomon and a Patamon. Ami let go of his wrist and she turned on him. “What are you doing here?”

“I got curious, wasn’t expecting you to be the one causing Date to have a hissy fit,” Arata said crossing his arms. “You need to explain some things, like why are you here?”

“My boss asked me to investigate it while she investigates Jimiken’s music video to try and find a location for Sakura and a lot of missing girls,” Ami explained as WereGarurumon stepped next to her lowering its muzzle and nudged it against her. “Yes, he’s a friend,” she started talking to her WereGarurumon rubbing his snout.

“The reason as to why you haven’t messaged me on Digi-line?” Arata questioned as they started walking the subway station. 

“My account got hacked and is inaccessible,” Ami said before looking at him. “I thought you have my new account?”

“I haven’t truly seen you for a while!” Arata exclaimed. “You’ve been so busy, I’m actually starting to worry. What did you mean by destroying the Eater?”

“Eater is what Suedo -that old man - is calling those black and white shell like things,” Ami explained. “They are the reason for EDEN Syndrome, they eat data.” She started climbing up the stairs and Arata followed. “Once the Eater is destroyed than this will return to normal briefly.”

“Briefly?”

Ami turned to look at him, “Next time you see this going on, a digital shift or labyrinth, than avoid it. Don’t get yourself involved, please?”

“No promises,” Arata said. “I have Infermon with me, I’ll be fine. You, however, when did you become a hacker?”

“Arata, please,” Ami said. Arata shook his head. “You don’t know what you are going to get yourself into!”

“If anyone is more clueless than me, it’s you,” Arata said with a glare. He honestly just doesn’t want to see her hurt. Now he really is going to have that cyber sleuth look into Ami. “You know I know you better than you know yourself.” Ami looked at him. “You take on too many things and not ask for help. You keep all the pressure and stress to yourself, how you do it, is beyond me. Besides, I’m looking into EDEN Syndrome and now apparently Eaters.”

“Suit yourself,” Ami said turning back around and running up the stairs. Arata could not get her to talk again, not about anything that he’s learning. 

They were nearing the end when they saw a figure within blue date, “No way, the ‘Ghost of EDEN’ exists?”

“If it gets bad, run,” Ami said before they entered the battle with the Eater.

They defeated the Eater and everything changed back, they were out in the entrance of the subway, at night. 

Ami started walking away, “I’ll see you later, Arata, but if you won’t stay away from the Digital Labyrinths, than stay away from Suedo. There’s something off about him.”

Arata just watched her walk away and frowned. This wasn’t like her, she’s usually more cheerful and doesn’t make anyone worry about her. Arata shook his head, he’s overthinking it, she just needs some good sleep and she’ll be back to normal.

That night, after masking his location since he was back at home, Arata was more determined to get answers out of Crouching_Tiger but they weren’t signed in, there was no traces of the account either, it was like they just vanished.

A week later, Arata was sitting in K-Cafe, ignoring the unbelievable hotness of the whole building. He overheard some of the patrons saying their heater was on the fritz now, apparently it was the A/C a couple months ago. He was typing furiously on his computer, trying to track down Crouching_Tiger. He was going to meet them face to face and get his answers that way, the polite way.

Out of nowhere, his laptop screen was closed while his fingers never touched the power button.

“I believe I asked you to quit hacking my account,” Ami’s voice said to him in a whisper from behind him and all of sudden, he could see her gloved hand that wasn’t there before. She moved her hand away from his computer.

He turned around in his chair and saw Ami standing there looking at him. “Ami?”

She smiled and laughed, “Bingo. Seriously though, can you please stop hacking my account? I’m scared to see what the username is for the next account Kyoko makes for me. Are you going to be here for a while?”

“Uh..yeah? I think?” Arata responded. “Why?”

“Because I’m going to turn a case in and take a break,” Ami said. “I’m sure Kyoko will allow me to hang out with you. That is if you want me too, I wasn’t exactly that kind to you last time and since you used to be a hacker, I could possibly use your help. As much as I trust Nokia and Yuuko has hackers, I trust you more.”

Arata narrowed his eyes, “Will you stop hiding things from me?”

Ami looked down, “I won’t have much of a choice soon. Especially since I’m going to be doing something completely stupid which is why I need your help.”

So Arata waited until Ami returned and sit down next to him at the window table. “You should try the coffee, it might bring back your tastebuds,” Arata commented. 

Ami giggled and shook her head, “Unfortunately, it won’t, even if it did, my tastebuds would still be ruin. Kyoko has me pick me up the coffee beans from here.”

“Shame, it’s quite good,” Arata said. “So talk.”

“About what? Eaters? EDEN Syndrome? What I’m going to be doing? My Digimon?” Ami questioned. “You need to be more specific than that, either way, you need to get your computer turned on.”

“Why?” 

“You are going to hack into my account, don’t worry. I know what I’m doing,” Ami said with a smile.

“I think, you’ve gotten weirder, much like Tokyo has,” Arata said. “Hackers getting blamed for everything, I’m sure Kamishiro has some part in the rise of EDEN Syndrome.”

“Ami!” a voice yelled causing the two to turn their heads.

“Yuuko, what are you doing here?” Ami questioned.

“You’re Kamishiro Yuuko, right?” Arata asked tilting his head.

“Ah, yes, sorry, I didn’t know you was with a friend,” Yuuko said. “It’s just that I need to talk to you. Can you message me -”

“I can do it while Arata gets his computer up,” Ami said standing up. “Shall we?”

Yuuko nodded and Arata narrowed his eyes as he waited for the computer to boot up. When did Ami befriend the shy Kamishiro Yuuko? Does that mean she also knows Yuugo? His hands tightened around his cup as he thought about it. 

“Don’t break the cup,” Ami said gently sitting back down. He looked at her in surprise, “You’ll ruin your computer plus you’ll have to buy K-Cafe another cup, and you might accidentally cut yourself.”

“Since you know Kamishiro Yuuko, does that mean you know Yuugo?” Arata asked. 

Ami blinked at him, “If you know one, than you know the other. That is, if you knew Yuugo before EDEN Syndrome and secrets about Kamishiro Enterprise. It’s a long story, and a confusing one for someone who is just getting caught up to speed.” She hesitantly placed a hand on his wrist, “Put the cup down.”

He felt it, this was the first time her skin was on his, directly, in a long time. She was always someone who was hugging, comforting, she was always touching. Her skin didn’t feel like skin. She must have noticed because she quickly removed her hand.

“Ami?” Arata asked concerned. 

“Just watched,” Ami said quietly in a whisper, than a barely visible green light surrounded her, and her body phased in and out. Her body disappeared at one point leaving a blue data shell of herself before her body reattached itself to the data. 

“You aren’t real,” Arata said angrily.

“That’s cold,” Ami responded. “I’m very real. It’s hard to explain, but I have a half cyber body. My actual physical body is currently at Central Hospital, in the Special Ward.”

“You have EDEN Syndrome?” Arata questioned. 

Ami nodded, “I do. I don’t know why I have a cyber body all of sudden or what makes me special or qualified to have this ability, but I do. The account that you had, my AIBA account, was the account I used to log into EDEN for the first time. Crouching Tiger is me, let me tell you, every time you tried to hack me, it gave me a headache.”

“You knew! You knew it was me!” Arata exclaimed. 

“Of course, I did follow your intranet connections,” Ami explained. “I’m going to go into your computer and download some of my memories, that includes any questions about Eaters, EDEN Syndrome, and everything to help you take my place.”

“Your place?” Arata questioned.

“My digimon, they will go with Nokia. She has Omnimon to protect her so if we happen to cross paths, they can get their anger out at me. You, however, will become a cyber sleuth, solve cases in my place, try Kyoko’s coffee in my place. I’ll be busy doing something else, something crazy and stupid that it makes Ryota actions look sad.”

“Ami, tell me,” Arata said and Ami just shook her head before holding her hand up to his computer and disappeared within a portal that opened on his computer that vanished. “Why aren’t you telling me?”

He watched as files were downloading onto his computer and he shook his head. When she appeared out, he watched her smile at him. “Watch those tonight, Kyoko will call when she needs you.” She waved at him before leaving only to get stopped by a girl with pink pigtails. “Nokia?”

“Ami, there you are! You’re late! Like super late” Nokia said crossing her arms. “How long did you expect me to wait?”

Arata closed his computer and stood up standing next to Ami, “I believe I told you I would message you when I was ready to meet up with you.”

“No, you didn’t! You totally didn’t!” Nokia said stomping her foot! “Like what would have happened if a total creep came to Galactica Park and tried to take my virtue? You wasn’t there!”

“Nokia…” Ami sighed. “You don’t need me to protect you anymore. You have Omnimon and all the Rebels behind you.”

“But, you’re the Golden Maniac!”

“And you’ve proved yourself capable enough of having the strength to face any challenge. If you keep using me as your savior, the bond you have with Omnimon and the Rebels might not get stronger.”

“What? No...grrr...Ami,” Nokia said. 

“Look, I’ll meet you in Galactica Park in a little bit okay,” Ami said. “I’ll message you when I get there.”

Ami walked around her and left. “Arg, she’s so spacey! Seriously? My virtue could easily be at stake in EDEN and she leaves me there alone.”

Arata left following Ami, ignoring Nokia’s monologue and caught up to Ami. “What do you plan on doing?”

“You’ll understand I think once you watch the memories,” Ami said. “However, I am becoming your rival, truly.” She looked at him. “I’m sorry if I hurt you in the future.”

“What are you going on about?”

Ami stood in front of the elevator as it opened, “Only time will tell.” She leaned up and kissed his cheek. “Apologize to Yuuko for me, please.” She entered the elevator right as the door closed. 

Arata ran down the stairs and when he got there, it was too late. Ami was nowhere to be seen.

“Damn,” Arata said that night running his hands through his hair. He hasn’t even touched the surface of Ami’s memories, but he’s already seen her when she first discovered she was data, when she saw her body in Central Hospital. The first time a labyrinth happened in Shibuya and her first meeting with Suedo. Than the case Yuuko sent her to investigate her father to test them and how that progressed from there. He’s just getting ready to tackle the memories that have Nokia in them before he goes back to the ones with just her. Some of the main memories seemed to make more sense after watching Yuuko’s. 

He pinched the bridge of his nose. Some of the memories seemed familiar to him, the flashes of younger version of themselves, but he doesn’t remember meeting Yuuko, Yuugo, or Nokia. Ami, Ami he met seven years ago, when he transferred to her school. He was rude to everyone, insulted them, Ami ignored the insults and just offered her lunch to him since he didn’t bring, his mom didn’t have time to make him a lunch and his father was away on a business trip. She skipped away after giving it to him, even through he said no. She did the same thing the next day only brought two lunches and sat with him talking his ear off. Than Sakura started to join as she missed talking with Ami thus Arata had made two friends. 

Two years later, Ryota joined the group of friends, and through it all, Ami always had a smile, which never seemed to falter. 

Arata wanted to throw something, break something, anything to help his anger. Ami, Ami didn’t deserve to have this thrown on her, to be tossed in whatever is going on right now. She was just going to EDEN to meet Akkino who didn't’ want to go alone to what she assumed was a PR event. 

“Anger rarely helps you,” Ami’s voice spoke in his earbuds. “Redirect that anger into doing something progressive and let that fuel you.”

He looked at his computer and noticed that it was a recording. She said that to him once, when he was mad at his parents for breaking a promise to take him out to dinner on his birthday. She than let him choose where to go and paid for his birthday dinner with her.

“You are too soft-hearted, Ami,” Arata spoke softly. “I have no idea what you have planned, I haven’t reached that far yet, but I promise you. I’ll bring you back and when I do, you are getting the biggest hug ever.”

Days passed and Arata was getting used to weird coffee tastes. “Damn,” he said as he walked into the Shibuya labyrinth. “I think I know what Ami meant by losing her taste buds. How am I still alive?”

He traversed the labyrinth and went further into a completely wrapped spot and saw Ami surrounded by four eaters, two shells, and two human looking one. 

He ran towards her, “Don’t come closer Arata,” Ami spoke. Arata stopped, it was her voice, but it wasn’t Ami. Ami wouldn’t use a cold tone in her voice. He watched as a Eater disappeared into the hand she had outstretched. 

“You can’t possibly think about taking them all, you don’t have your Digimon!” Arata said. 

The arm went back to her side after the other two vanished into data. He stared as she turned around, her arm was black and silver, like that of an Eater, and her blue eyes were red. 

“It’s been awhile hasn’t it? How’s being a cyber sleuth?” Ami asked. She shook her head, “I’m afraid I can’t stay for long, I do have a Royal Knight chasing me.” She smirked, “I believe it's Gallantmon.”

“What happened to you Ami?” Arata asked. He knew this is what she was going for when planning with Suedo. What her overall goal was is only known to Kyoko and Ami herself. Kyoko explained that Ami was going undercover. 

“I got tired of being ignored,” Ami spoke before laughing. “Suedo listened and he understood me. He gave me a choice to get rid of the loneliness, sadness, the emptiness, the abandonment, and being forgotten, of being needed only when it benefits someone. I’ve felt all of those these years. How much of me do you truly know, Arata? How much of your so called best friend do you know?”

“Shut up,” Arata said almost yelling. “You’re not Ami. Just someone or something using her!”

Ami laughed again and Arata just wanted to punch something, it wasn’t Ami. “Oh, no, Arata. I am very much Ami, I have never felt such freedom before, freedom from being polite, listening, caring. It feels amazing.”

She walked towards him and then past him, “It was good to see you again, Arata.”

“Sanada. You are not Ami so you don’t have the right to call me Arata,” Arata spoke as she passed him. 

“As you wish, Sanada,” Ami commented before running at a ridiculously fast paced away from Shibuya as Gallantmon could be heard coming closer.

Weeks passed and even though he appreciated Ami calling when Examon was weakened and didn’t ‘eat’ the overly giant digimon, he hated it. This cold, malicious Ami wasn’t the Ami that he knows and has a crush on. 

He went to his computer and listened to the memories again, listened to the recording pep sayings she recorded, knowing him so well. He had his forehead on his desk, two of his fingertips touching the cyber screen as he listened to the words he has memorized. 

“Arata,” Ami’s voice spoke again in his earbuds and his eyes snapped open. Never did she use his name in the recordings. This one was new. “Arata, if you are asleep, you’ll wake up with terrible back pains. Trust me on this, I’ve experienced it.”

He looked up and stared as Ami floated on his screen, “Hey! You are awake!” She tilted her head, “You look terrible, bad day?”

“What are you doing in my computer? When-”

“I’m part Eater?” Ami questioned. “I’m only here to download files which you need to show Kyoko plus to give you a message. I’m slowly becoming a major part of the Eater network, much like Yuugo Kamishiro or better known as the ‘Ghost of EDEN’.” 

“Why did you do this?”

“To get files from Suedo’s research over Eaters and the beta test eight years ago.” Ami explained. “Suedo wouldn’t give them up willingly.” She looked down, “Plus, some of the things he said, they sounded promising and he tricked me into following for his plan.” She looked back up. “The files are nearly done downloading. When we meet again, Arata, you will need to hack into me, if you want me to return. There might be some side-effects but you shouldn’t worry about that.”

“Of course I’m going to worry about it,” Arata practically growled. 

“Arata, I wouldn’t trust this to someone who is only doing it due to return a favor,” Ami explained. “I’ve saved Nokia from danger who knows how many times and fought in the battles she brought me in. Yuuko, I’ve saved from when an Eater assimilated with her when she was captured by Crusadermon. I’m sorry I’m placing a big burden on you.”

She was gone as the screen appeared showing that the files were finished downloading. 

“I promised to give you the biggest hug you’ve ever received,” Arata said to himself. “It’s also going to be the tightest.”

He hated doing it, he really did but he had to battle against Ami in a weird Eater forum. He knew that wasn’t Ami because Ami would never attack him but it wasn’t just that. Before the battle, she was trying to fight it, her eyes were flashing blue and red as she argued with herself. 

He hacked into her and found himself in a weird dimensional, black and white spirals. He looked around and saw Ami standing in the middle. He made his way over there to her and stood in front of her.

“Why are you here?” Ami asked. “You don’t care about me, If you did, than you would’ve been there for when I needed you!”

The Ami disappeared but Ami’s voice still talked, “Keep going, don’t believe what you hear from that Ami. I’m further in.”

So he did, he kept going and saw another Ami there. “Leave me alone! Unless you want to watch me suffer? Do you want to see me do something emotional and make fun of me?”

The Ami disappeared, “Suedo wants to make a brand new world without grief, sadness, and all of those emotions, but how could we appreciate the things we take for granted if we don’t have those?”

“Ami?” Arata called out thinking he wasn’t going to get a response.

“Hmm?”

“These thoughts, are they -”

“Mine. The darkest thoughts I’ve had at one point. Eaters are using it to try and deter you from reaching me.”

Arata made his way forward and saw an Ami that wasn’t facing him, he stood behind her. She turned around to look at him only to be met with his blue track suit pressed into her face, his arms wrapped around her tightly. 

“Arata?” Ami questioned.

“Welcome home,” Arata said and let go of her just as they returned back from the Eater network. 

Ami looked at Arata, “Thank you.”

“AMI!!” Nokia screeched before she glomped the veteran cyber sleuth. “You’re back! You’re back! OMG Your Digimon are restless but oh so cuties!”

“Nokia!” Ami said.

“Welcome back,” Alphamon said. “So, shall we fight side-by-side, for old times sake?”

Ami looked at Arata who nodded her, “Welcome back, cyber sleuth.”

Ami took her digivice from Nokia and smiled, “Let’s finish this!”

Months passed after the two worlds were saved. Arata was sitting in class when he got called into the office and to bring all of his items. He ignored the ‘oohs’ of his peers thinking he got into trouble as he walked out trying to think of what he did wrong.

Yuuko nor Yuugo would get him suspended because he told Yuuko his heart and feelings belonged to someone else. It didn’t take Yuuko long to realize who had them and she smiled and accepted the fact. Yuugo was more supportive of Arata dating Ami than what he was his own sister.

“Sanada,” the sectarian spoke. “You are excuse from your classes for the rest of the day and next week.”

“Huh?” Arata said. “Why?”

“Aiba is awake and responsive. You two are close, aren’t you?”

“Yes, yes, thank you so much,” Arata said and he started running towards the subway to get to Central Hospital. 

He ran to her room and stared as she was talking to a nurse, sitting on the side of her bed, she was doing the exercises correctly surprising her nurse. To almost everyone, she’s been in a victim of EDEN Syndrome for eight years, but it was only for a couple of months for her. 

She looked over at the door and smiled, “Arata!”

“Hey,” he greeted walking in as the nurse said she was done and proceeded to leave. He sat his bag down and stood in front of her. “How are you feeling?”

“Good, perfectly fine. What are you doing here?”

“School let me out as soon as they were notified,” Arata said. He pulled her into a tight hug taking her by surprise again. “Don’t ever, I repeat, ever keep something like what you experienced away from me again.”

“Arata?”

He pulled away and pressed his forehead against hers, “I did some research on you. Why didn’t you tell any of us that your father passed away three years ago.”

“I didn’t want anyone to worry about me, all of us have our own problems,” Ami responded hoping a blush wasn’t on her cheeks at the closeness. She wanted to change the topic so she asked the one question that was burning in the back of her mind. “How are you and Yuuko doing?”

“I’m going great, static now that you’re awake, and Yuuko is doing good. Has her hands full with Yuugo’s physical therapy, but if you are asking about us dating? We aren’t.”

Her eyes went wide, “What? Why?”

“Besides the fact I didn’t know Yuugo was Yuuko when I first became a hacker, I just don’t have feelings for her.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, see, this cyber sleuth friend of mine, she’s too soft-hearted for the world but she’s perfectly amazing and even wearing a smile while she’s recovering, which makes her strong.” Arata smirked as the blush on her face deepened. He kissed the top of her forehead, “When you get released and at your mom’s place. I am going to come over and pin you against the wall and kiss you senseless.”

“Ar-Arata!” Ami said in a hushed pitched voice.


End file.
